The use of coir dust as an absorber of spills of various types has been known for some time, although not widely used. In U.S Pat. No. 3,703,464, the use of coir dust or coconut short fibers is described as a satisfactory absorbent material for oil spills on water and on other surfaces. The widespread use of this material as a spill absorbent has been restricted to situations where exposure to high levels of heat or fire are not present since coir dust is capable of burning and is therefore regarded as a potential fire hazard.